Specialist Teacher - Early Years SEND (Portex)

Kirklees Council; Kirklees; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Inclusive team environment

Ongoing training and CPD

Discounts with local retailers

Well-being initiatives

Teachers’ Pay and Pension

Job summary

Kirklees Council's Early Years SEND team is seeking experienced teachers to join the EYSEND (Portex) to develop and deliver high-quality educational support for children and young people with SEND across Kirklees.

You will work across schools, with families and professionals, and contribute to an extensive outreach and training offer aimed at raising inclusion and outcomes for all learners.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience with SEND in mainstream or special schools.
• Excellent interpersonal and collaborative skills across stakeholders.
• Child-centred approach to learning and inclusion.
• Passion for promoting inclusion and supporting school staff in Kirklees.
• Experience with assessment, planning and delivery of SEND learning support.
• Experience implementing the graduated approach and inclusive practice.
• Focus on meaningful learning outcomes and wider development.
• Reflective practitioner with professional curiosity.
• Ability to build links with families, colleagues, and external agencies.
• Willingness to undertake further specialist qualifications and CPD.

Responsibilities

• Support children with SEND to achieve positive learning outcomes.
• Collaborate with school staff, families and external professionals.
• Deliver outreach and training to mainstream schools.
• Promote inclusive education across Kirklees.

Skills

Experience with SEND children

Interpersonal collaboration

Child-centred

Inclusion promotion

Assessment & planning

Graduated approach

Reflective practice

Stakeholder engagement

CPD commitment

Education

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

Job description

Our team is growing and we are pleased to offer this exceptional opportunity to come and join us.

This is an exciting opportunity for experienced teachers to join the well-established Early Years SEND team (EYSEND, Portex) and further develop their career in SEND. We are looking for exceptional individuals to join us in developing and delivering the very best educational support to children and young people with SEND in Kirklees, through the provision of an extensive outreach and training offer to all our mainstream schools.

The Early Years SEND team is friendly, and supportive with a passion for the work that they deliver. They are dedicated to improving outcomes for children and young people with SEND across Kirklees.

The children and young people we support are at the heart of our work. We work collaboratively as a team, with school staff, young people, families and with other professionals, such as educational psychologists, speech therapists and council colleagues. We provide guidance, advice and model best practice for school teams to enhance the support and provision of the children in their care to help them thrive.

The successful candidate will:

• Have substantial experience and a proven track record of working successfully with children and young people with SEND needs in either mainstream or special schools.
• Have excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with a wide range of people.
• Be child centred.
• Be passionate about promoting inclusion and supporting teaching and support staff across mainstream schools in Kirklees to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people with SEND.
• Have experience of assessment, planning and implementation of successful teaching and learning support for children and young people with SEND.
• Have significant experience of implementing the graduated approach and confidence in the delivery of exceptional universal inclusive high-quality practice.
• Have a strong focus on securing learning outcomes that are meaningful to the child/young person and contribute to improving wider outcomes.
• Will be an excellent reflective practitioner who shows professional curiosity in their work.
• Be able to build strong working relationships with mainstream school colleagues, develop strong links with outside agencies and work in partnership with parents and carers.
• Will have high expectations of themselves and others.
• Be flexible, adaptable and a strong team player.
• Be resilient, self-motivated and solution focused.
• Have the ability to manage difficult conversations and meetings.
• Be committed to the safeguarding of all children and young people.
• Have additional qualifications / experience in supporting children and young people with SEND needs or a willingness to undertake further specialist qualifications and a commitment to CPD.

Our main office is in Batley Town Hall, and we frequently use other offices in Huddersfield and across the LA for meetings. As you will support schools across Kirklees, travel is an essential part of this job and a full driver’s licence and access to a car are essential to this post.

What the team say about the role

“We are passionate about our work and love to ignite that same passion in others, sharing knowledge and modelling strategies. The pupils we work with are a pleasure and a joy to be around and teach us so much!”

“I love my job; each day is different! Each child is unique and individual… We use a holistic approach which means that we value working with the families, staff and outside agencies – together we aim to make school a positive place to thrive for our children….”

“I would say that that the applicant needs to thrive on working in a range of varied and sometimes challenging environments and enjoy meeting new people. They need be driven by a need to make a difference for young people with complex needs.”

What we offer

• An inclusive team based on open communication, mutual respect, and a collective commitment to the principles of good practice and inclusive education
• A friendly and supportive environment
• Ongoing training and specialist knowledge development
• Discounts with local and national retailers
• A wide range of well-being initiatives
• Teachers’ Pay and Conditions including Pension.

If you have any questions about this role, please contact:EY SEND on 01924 483744 / [e-mail]

Shortlisting will take place on 5th October 2026

Interviews will take place on 13th & 15th October 2026